Countdown to Fall Camp: Defensive End

Quentin Moses (1 career start, 30 total tackles, 8.5 sacks), passed Will Thompson for his first career start at the Outback Bowl. He responded with four total tackles and a sack – not bad. Another promising end, Charles Johnson, is Moses' back-up. He might be a starter in 2006, but he'll have to rotate behind Moses for now. Johnson and Moses are quite a pair at their spot; behind them are a bunch of newcomers. Marcus Howard has moved to defensive end from linebacker for the fall. The Dawgs plan to use him to get to the quarterback on third-and-long situations. Jeremy Lomax, still a slender 210, will fight to get some time in this deep spot. Steve White provides depth at the position.

Thompson started most of the 2004 season, but was beaten out by Moses just before the Outback Bowl. Now Moses is a starter, too, and Thompson will start his final season in Athens. Ray Gant (4 career starts, 47 total tackles, 1 sacks, 17 quarterback pressures), returned from injury and played the "three" position – a combination of both tackle and end – this spring. Gant will likely be used all over the defensive line, but he's the back-up at defensive end. Gant looked good this spring – he was finally healthy for the first time in a long time. Coaches hope he will take to sliding to the end of the line.